Bittersweet Tour 2009
Monday, November 17, 2008 
I have to admit, I’m a sucker for most Cameron Crowe movies.* Especially Almost Famous, his semi-autobiographical tale of life on the road. A movie I can’t stop thinking about now that I have a book tour ahead of me.
Granted, a newbie author’s book tour is about as raucous as a deep tissue massage, still, there’s something undeniably romantic about the notion. I only wish that we could somehow package the tour with other writers––just a little something to liven up the down time. Think Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, all traveling together––wait, bad example…
The reality is that for an author, it’s just you, and maybe a publicist, (and of course my massive entourage of personal trainers, chefs, body-guards, stylists, accountants, photographers, groupies, groupie-handlers, posse-wannabes, and assorted astrologers and pet-psychics) traveling from venue to venue, hoping for a good crowd.
And unless you’re a rock star like Stephenie Meyer or Neil Gaiman, attendance at book events is a big unknown. So to help shed some light on the situation, here is a sneak peek at my upcoming book tour:
BITTERSWEET TOUR 2009
2/7/2009
Fact & Fiction
Missoula, MT
2/9/2009
Powell's City of Books
Portland, OR
2/10/2009
University Bookstore
Tacoma, WA
2/11/2009
Third Place Books
Seattle, WA
2/12/2009
Village Books
Bellingham, WA
2/17/2009
Kepler's Books
Menlo Park, CA
2/18/2009
Clayton Books
Clayton, CA
2/19/2009
King's English
Salt Lake City, UT
2/24/2009
Tattered Cover Bookstore
Denver, CO 80202
2/25/2009
H.W. Schwartz Bookshop
Milwaukee, WI
2/26/2009
Crow Collection of Asian Art
Dallas, TX
I just wanted to get it out there early in case you needed to request vacation so you can camp out days in advance for a good seat. Or quit your job, sell your home and actually move to one of these cities so you can attend. Hey, I’m just trying to help.
Also, these will be the places where I’ll be speaking, reading, signing, doing an interpretive dance, etc. But I’ll also be hitting as many independent bookstores in each area, doing as many drop-in signings as I possibly can. If pressed for time I may have to use a look-alike, so come by and see one of us.
*Vanilla Sky being the one exception. What the heck was that about?
Email Article to Friend
Reader Comments (27)
Doing Politics & Prose anytime soon? I'll try to catch you there.
Brian & Ello--there's a slim chance that I might be in DC for a gig mid February, if so, then I'll have to check out Politics & Prose...
You'll love the folks at Schwartz's--they are fantastic!
I would love to take you out for dessert or something afterward, but knowing how tours often go, I will totally leave that up to you. (I hear that an tour sleep vs. chocolate is an easy choice . . . in favor of sleep.:))
Can't wait to meet you IRL!!!
Good luck with everything,
paul :-)
Maryke--I think the Tacoma event will actually be at the Panama Hotel. University Books is partnering with the hotel to do something in the ID, which would be cool. Grace Holden, the daughter of one of the only non-fictional character in the book might come and sing!
PS: LOOOOVE the cover!!!!!
So happy to see you're coming to the Tattered Cover in Denver!
Tis will be lovely to meet you (and have you sign your book with a strawberry-scented glitter pen).
Oooh, and maybe Tattered Cover. I love that store. I would not have survived school without it.
-TL Hines